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CX2ACB > SAT 05.10.03 18:02l 39 Lines 1478 Bytes #-7684 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS-278.04
Read: GUEST
Subj: SMART-1 Ion Engine Fired Successfully
Path: DB0ZKA<DB0BOX<DB0GV<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0BEL<CX2ACB
Sent: 031005/1550Z @:CX2ACB.MVD.URY.SA #:29030 [Montevideo] $:ANS-278.04
From: CX2ACB@CX2ACB.MVD.URY.SA
To : SAT@AMSAT
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 278.04 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD. October 5, 2003
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-278.04
SMART-1's revolutionary propulsion system was successfully fired at
12:25 UT on 30 September, 2003, in orbit around the Earth. Engineers at
ESOC, the European Space Agency's control centre in Darmstadt,
Germany, sent a command to begin the firing test, which lasted for one
hour. This was similar to a trial performed on Earth before SMART-1 was
launched.
This is the first time that Europe flies an electric primary propulsion
in space, and also the first European use of this particular type of
ion engine, called a 'Hall-effect' thruster.
The SEPP consists of a single ion engine fuelled by xenon gas and
powered by solar energy. The ion engine will accelerate SMART-1 very
gradually to cause the spacecraft to travel in a series of spiralling
orbits - each revolution slightly further away from the Earth - towards
the Moon. Once captured by the Moon's gravity, SMART-1 will move into
ever-closer orbits of the Moon.
As part of one of the overall mission objectives to test this new SEPP
technology, the data will now be analysed to see how much acceleration
was achieved and how smoothly the spacecraft travelled. If the ion
engine is performing to expectations, ESA engineers will regularly
power up the SEPP to send SMART-1 on its way.
[ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.]
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